Nataraj Sharma
(1958)
Air Show
Air Show is a large diptych showing an expanse of sky populated with parachutes and helicopters. The idea for the painting, and the series which it is a part of, sprung from an impressive aerial show by the Indian Air Force that Sharma had seen in Baroda. In an interview with Peter Nagy, Sharma expanded on this, saying, "Thousands of people went to the Harni Airport to see the show and I was one of them. For a long time nothing seemed to...Air Show is a large diptych showing an expanse of sky populated with parachutes and helicopters. The idea for the painting, and the series which it is a part of, sprung from an impressive aerial show by the Indian Air Force that Sharma had seen in Baroda. In an interview with Peter Nagy, Sharma expanded on this, saying, "Thousands of people went to the Harni Airport to see the show and I was one of them. For a long time nothing seemed to happen and then suddenly the planes started appearing, like tiny insects on the horizon. They grew in size, flying in formation directly above us, and with them came the space-swallowing, time-stopping scream of jet engines. We all felt the thrill that power and aggression brings to the onlooker. I followed the movements of the planes with a video camera. Later at home, I hooked it up to the TV and saw the whole show repeatedly. There was a moment when two jets crossed paths at tremendous speed and seems to miss each other only by inches. Low, relatively sedate helicopters floated slowly across in horizontal lines. One of them flew right above the crowd and released a shower of rose petals. Beauty and violence, play and aggression, revealed in front of our eyes." (Peter Nagy, "Nataraj Sharma," iCon: Indian Contemporary , New York: Bose Pacia, 2005, p. 58) The theme of the present lot was later transformed into a large scale installation for iCon , an exhibition at the Venice Biennale in 2005.
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Lot
136
of
150
SUMMER ONLINE AUCTION
Estimate
Rs 30,00,000 - 40,00,000
Winning Bid
Rs 34,02,432
ARTWORK DETAILS
Nataraj Sharma Air Show
Inscribed, signed and dated twice '"AIR SHOW"/ Nataraj/ BARODA/ 11 JUNE 04/ 04' (on the reverse on both panels)
(Diptych)
PROVENANCE:
EXHIBITED:Indian Summer: La jeune scene artistique indienne , Paris: Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts, 7 October - 31 December 2005iCon: India Contemporary , Venice: 51st Venice Biennale, 12 June - 31 July, 2005Nataraj Sharma, New York: Bose Pacia, 20 January - 19 February 2005Indian Summer: La jeune scene artistique indienne , Paris: Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts, 2005, p. 254 (illustrated)iCon: India Contemporary , New York: Bose Pacia, 2005Nataraj Sharma , New York: Bose Pacia, 2005 (illustrated)Nataraj Sharma: Stretch , Bodhi Art, 2006 (illustrated)Voices of Change: 20 Indian Artists , Mumbai: Marg Foundation, 2010, p. 109 (illustrated)
Category: Painting